Devotion
God Can Bring Good Out Of Evil
Frances Taylor
Envy can lead to so much evil. In this story of Joseph and his brothers, we see where jealousy can lead. Only one of Joseph's brothers is bothered by plans to kill him, but wasn't there when they decided to sell him into slavery. And think of Israel when he received Joseph's coat returned to him bloodied as though he had been devoured by wild beasts. Envy and jealousy can lead to evil today as well. Families can be torn apart because someone feels slighted. In the story of Joseph, God does not let it end with him as a slave. Because of the actions of his brothers in selling him and his being taken into Egypt, when famine hit the area where Israel lived with his other children, they were able to come into Egypt and prosper. When bad things happen, God can bring light into the situation if we are open to him. But God can bring good out of bad situations in so many different ways. In times of crises, people band together to help one another, bringing strangers together who might never have met. People find wells of strength they never knew they had. We learn two lessons from this story of Joseph. Let us keep envy out of our hearts, and know that God is with us to bring good into any situation.
Prayer
Lord, may my heart always be open to you, thanking you for the gifts I have and not be envious of those who appear to have more, trusting that you are with me no matter what. Amen.
Devotion
Abraham is Father of All
Frances Taylor
There are questions in every age about the importance of the Old Testament for Christians. Abraham is considered to be the Father of Faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims. We forget that it was Abraham who believed in the doctrine of only one God. It is through him and his descendants that this tradition comes down to us. Another fact that we can overlook is that Jesus was Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, died, rose and ascended into heaven as a Jew. Because we believe that he was the Messiah, the Christ, and we follow him, we are called Christian. Without the Old Testament, we wouldn't understand the promise of salvation; we wouldn't understand why it was important for Jesus to be of the family of King David. We would not understand his teaching either, because Jesus quoted from Scripture – the Old Testament – frequently. He told us that he came to fulfill the Scriptures, not to abolish them. In the same way, we can ...
Morning Prayer
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Inspiration
We have a responsibility, as Christians, to abstain from the sinful practices we partook in before we became saved. While it may be a gradual process of change, we should ensure that we are putting in our best to play our part in resisting temptation. God enables us to resist temptation, but it is up to us to actually resist.
Prayer
Dear God, I pray that I will always be a person of action. Father, I take delight in my new life in you and I do not desire otherwise. I pray that in times of temptation, may I act on the strength you have given me to flee and/or resist. May I never rely on excuses or procrastination, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Night Prayer
Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
Inspiration
We have chosen to surrender our lives and serve the Lord. We serve Him by witnessing, completing missionary projects, and ministering to those in need. There is always work to do and a world full of people to help. We will look for opportunities to provide for our brothers and sisters in Christ by any means necessary. We are servants to one another as a service to the Lord; He will never forsake us.
Prayer
Dear God, Help us see the world through Your eyes. We desire to serve those around us by reflecting Your love through our actions. You will never forsake us, and we will continually lift praises of thanksgiving to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
